Warriors: Return to the forest

[SkySong278]

Emberstorm had gotten back to camp with the prey that she had caught and had put the prey on the fresh-kill pile before going out again. She found a cliff in the woods after wandering out of the marshland of where the Riverclan camp was and looked down at the water below. She didn't realize that she was too close to the edge until she leaned too far over and fell to the river below. The current got a hold of her and she tried to swim against it but to no avail. She finally just gave up and allowed herself to drown, allowing the current to bring her body to shore.

[Stunningfire]

Lightnose nodded, brushing off the kit's thanks. "It's no problem. It's our duty as Clan cats to take care of helpless kits. It's in the warrior code - " the medicine cat stopped herself before she started to confuse Shine. "Well, you'll learn all about that when you become an apprentice. Don't worry, your mentor will teach you everything." Lightnose paused to let Shine speak. In reply to the she-kit's question about meeting Jaystar, the medicine cat smiled kindly.

 

"Why, anytime you're ready," Lightnose replied. "Jaystar is out on patrol right now, though - he'd be glad to see you when he comes back, which should be soon." She paused as Shine declared that she wanted to be an apprentice as soon as possible. "How old are you?" Lightnose asked, tilting her head slightly. "Are you six moons yet? All the kits in the Clan become apprentices when they reach six moons."

Edited April 4, 2011 by Stunningfire

[SkySong278]

((actually peanut, he's on border patrol with Streampelt at the moment))

[Sinder]

Cloudtail's black pelt shinned off the water as he swam towards Riverclan. A long white scar shown from his neck down to his shoulder from a fight he had been in. Fear and uneasiness raked through his fur as he walked into his clan, he had been away for a while and the fact that he had gave him the fear of him not being friends anymore with his leader and what of his mate? His kits? He leapt from the water and stalked forward, ears perked at the scent of home. He closed his eyes and let the sun bake into his wet fur. "Riverclan, I'm back at last... And do I have a story to tell," he whispered to himself.

Edited April 3, 2011 by Sinder

[SkySong278]

Rowanpelt's head shot up when a familiar scent wafted towards her from the warriors den. Cloudtail! She quickly got up and when she was out of the den, she saw him at the edge of camp and ran towards him. "Cloudtail!" she exclaimed happily as she tackled him to the ground and licked his face. "I've missed you so much."

[Sinder]

Cloudtail's fur ruffled with excitement, before he could say anything the familiar scent of Rowanpelt rushed over him. "Rowanpelt!" He laughed and purred, not being able to control himself as he rubbed his head into her fur. Quickly he got to his paws and wrapped his tail around her's ears back while touching his nose to her's, "I'm so sorry for leaving!! That huge storm that we had, I was out on patrol and found three foxes!!" He pulled away from her a little, his amber eyes solid, "I ran them out as far as I could but had to fight all the way because they kept trying to get back. By the time I stopped I was almost dead... I lost scent of the clans because of the storm and I was just so worried about everyone!" He purred again and put his head on her shoulder, eyes closed.

[SkySong278]

Rowanpelt purred back in response to his purring and then listened to everything that he said while her tail also twined with his. "I was worried about you as well," she said in reply when he was done and laid her head on top of his. "Jaystar will be happy to see you as well as Hazepaw, Angelpaw, and Stormpaw." She then purred deeper as she added, "I'm so glad that you didn't die and that you were able to chase off those foxes." She then licked his ears while still purring.

Edited April 5, 2011 by Dragonpelt

[Stunningfire]

[i knew that. Thanks, DP~

 

Oh and could someone quote the last one or two posts of both Mint and Hawk or cats in their groups? ^^;]

Edited April 4, 2011 by Stunningfire

[SkySong278]

((np ; here's my last post as Shadow:

 

Shadow looked down at the ground when Hawk started to yell at her. She understood why he was doing it but not why it was directed at her. She sighed when he seemed to calm down and said in reply to his statement about loving her, "I love you too." She had listened to everything that he said about Pumpkin but didn't want to say anything for fear for him yelling at her again. She turned when she heard Trick yelling for them and saw him a few tail-lengths away from them and looking at a log. Hawk seemed to be looking at it too but she wasn't sure why.

))

[Sinder]

Cloudtail let out a small jump at the mention of his kits. What were they going to think? What was Jaystar going to think? What was going to happen to him now that he had been away from camp for a while? Was he going to be accepted still? Millions of questions swarmed through his mind and they were clear in his eyes. His heart pounded lightly in his chest, he looked up from Rowanpelt when hearing the familiar voice of his leader. His pelt began to slowly prickle upwards, here was the moment that was going to change his life. The code said that if there was not a deputy by moon high there was to be a new one. He'd worked all his life to get to that rank and something so simple as protecting his Clan had cost him this. His ears perked off towards Thunderclan, not only this. What was his father going to say? How was he and his mate? His kits? What had happened? How was Jaystar? His mate? Had she gotten kits? What news had been through the Clans? Who had fallen and what names were new to the world. His claws began to sink into the ground and his tail lowered, the tip of it thrashing a little in unease. "I have a feeling a lot of things are going to shock me..."

[LightningRip]

Mint stopped swimming forward and began to tread water, terrified that he would drown and pull Wolfkit down with him. "Stop struggling," he hissed through the thick fur of her scruff. "I can't swim with you thrashing around in my jaws. It's hard enough to swim at all in this river!" Mint paused to give Wolfkit a chance to speak while he began to swim forward again, listening.

 

"I don't know where Splashpaw is," Mint admitted sheepishly, voice still muffled by her fur. "Before I jumped in she was with you, but then I went under and couldn't see anything . . . when I came up again, I could only see you, and of course I had to save you." He had said too much - water ran into his mouth, and his heart skipped a beat, then thudded faster, as Wolfkit's scruff slipped slightly out of his mouth. He tried to get a better grip, but only resulted in his concentration breaking and both of them going under the murky water.

Wolfkit made a growling sound in her throat. She wasn't really mad at Mint, she was mad at herself. She hated being rescued. She hated needing to be rescued. And she'd just gotten her sister back, and lost her again. Stupid, stupid cat! Why do you always jump right into the middle of things and mess them up even worse? She scolded herself mentally. Now your relying on someone else to save your furry tail - twice now - and you couldn't even save your sister!! Wolfkit scowled down at the swirling water. She glanced at Mint, who had her by the scruff and was trying to haul them to shore. With another rumble in her throat, she wiggled her scruff out from his teeth and immediately was swept underwater.

 

Wolfkit gasped as her head broke the surface. "My sister shouldn't pay for MY stupidity!" She muttered to herself, though perhaps a little loudly, and went underwater. Her hurt leg was still throbbing and bleeding. Flailing, she sunk a little ways down before managing to paddle in an awkward way with her hurt leg. Hurt or not, she was still RiverClan, and accustomed to swimming, but she was weaker than usual, and the current was strong. Wolfkit glanced around. Where was her sister? Then she saw it: her sister's fur, stuck against the side of the bank. Wolfkit surfaced and gasped in a breath of air before sliding back into the water. Paddling painstakingly slowly with her leg the way it was and the current fighting her, she made her way to her sister.

 

Splashkit had gotten wedged between a piece of driftwood lodged in the bank and a large rock. Wolfkit tugged on her sister's scruff and managed to pull her free. Splashkit wasn't moving. Wolfkit paddled franticly, but her own weight had been a stretch on her limits, with both her and her sister's, they were beign swept downstream rapidly. Wolfkit paddled as fast as she could, and their heads broke the surface for a brief second. Wolfkit could see Mint further upstream. She felt a little guilty about pulling herself back into the water now, but she had to save her sister. Wolfkit started to take in a breath as something floating down the flooded river slammed into her and swept her underwater, sucking in a mouthful of riverwater.

 

Wolfkit's grip on her sister's scruff loosened as they slammed into a rock. Wolfkit gasped for air and nudged her sister up onto the rock and out of the water before the current grabbed her again. Wolfkit tried to swim back up to the rock Splashkit was on, but a big piece of driftwood slammed into her. FLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!! A stream of bubbles escaped Wolfkit's mouth as she was sent spinning around deeper into the water. She couldn't tell which direction was which anymore.

[SkySong278]

Rowanpelt looked at him curiously when he seemed to jump after she mentioned their kits. He also seemed to get a faraway look in his eyes, like he was thinking hard about something. She was about to ask if he was okay when she heard what he said in his last statement. "They might but you're here now and that's all that matters," she said as she nuzzled him in the shoulder and purred. "Let's go hunting. It's been awhile since we've done that together."

[Stunningfire]

Wolfkit seemed to be muttering something. Mint struggled to hear what she was saying over the roar of the raging river. Something about her sister paying for Wolfkit's stupidity . . . ? Then it hit him. She was going to go save Splashpaw! No, she couldn't! Not with her injured leg! Mint stared at his friend in horror. "No, Wolfki-" Mint spluttered, then choked on some water that swooshed into his mouth. Wolfkit slipped away as he was coughing.

 

Heart racing, Mint plunged in after her, paws working hard. Already he was beginning to tire, his lungs aching for air. We can't keep this up for much longer, the rogue thought desperately. Then, after that: But Wolfkit is determined to save her sister. And I can't leave her here alone. Cursing Wolfkit's stubborness, Mint pushed extra hard and finally caught up with her.

 

Wolfkit was struggling to keep both her and Splashpaw's heads above the water. Mint tried to reach them, but the current was against him. It took him a while to maneuver his way out of the strongest part of the current. By the time he reached where Wolfkit and Splashpaw had been earlier, they were both under the water. A few bubbles reached the surface.

 

Wolfkit! Mint dove under the water. He grabbed her scruff and strained to pull her up to safety. For a moment their heads popped up. There was a shout; Mint pricked his ears as he saw a cat running toward them. Was that . . . Hawk? Yes, it was definitely Hawk. What was he doing here!? Mint's heart sank. Oh no - he had come to finish them off. They were completely vulnerable in the water.

 

Hawk was getting closer, and Mint was helpless, unable to do anything about it. The massive tabby's call reached his ears: "Hang on, Mint! I'm coming to save you! Just hang on!" Wait. What!? Hawk was coming to save them? Mint probably heard wrong, but he was their last hope. Mint was almost completely out of energy. His eyes were beginning to blur, and not just because of the water in them. The edges began to close in, and he was losing consciousness . . .

 

Hawk leaped into the water and began to swim strongly towards Mint and Wolfkit. His muscles were pumped up with adrenaline, and he reached them in a matter of seconds. "Get onto my back," Hawk commanded Wolfkit in a tone that warned her not to argue. "You're the smallest. I can carry you." He grasped Mint's scruff in his jaws and began to swim back toward the bank.

 

Hawk was carrying more than twice his weight, but he was still strong and powerful. Still, he was weakened from the race to get to the river, and there is only so much swimming a cat can do. By the time he reached the bank, the brown tabby was panting hard. He let Wolfkit off of his back, dropped Mint next to her, and collapsed. The rain had pretty much let up by now. There wasn't even a faint drizzle anymore, although the sky was still cloudy.

 

After Hawk had caught his breath, he stared at Mint and Wolfkit, lying unmoving on the sand. Mint was knocked out cold, although Wolfkit was starting to twitch a little. Why am I here? Hawk wondered again. Why did I save them - my ultimate enemies? He shook his head, mystified. When he had seen the two of them struggling with the river current, something just overtook him.

 

There was no way he could leave the two of them to drown, he knew that. And no one else could do it. Hawk stared into their faces until Mint blinked his eyes open. "Wh-what . . . Hawk . . . ?" Mint mumbled. He managed to heave himself onto his paws and stared dumbfounded at his savior.

 

Hawk stared down at his paws, as if he suddenly found the dripping wet fur extremely interesting. "I couldn't leave you to die," he muttered awkwardly, shifting his paws. That's a stupid thing to say, a voice chided the tabby. You don't go into battle with some cat and hurt them, only to save them when they're about to drown! "Don't worry, I'm just as confused as you are."

 

[Muahaha Light >D Sorry for wall of text, guys~]

[LightningRip]

Wolfkit gasped and coughed up a mouthful of water, and struggled to her feet, sides heaving from her swim. She looked up. There was Mint.. And Hawk. Wolfkit stared for a minute, and when she realized she wasn't dreaming, flattened her ears against her head. She hissed and backed up - or hobbled back, really, as she was holding her throbbing hurt leg up into the air as she walked. "Wh-what are YOU doing here? M-Mint?" She looked around. Her sister was gone too. After eveyrhting, she hadn't been able to save her sister in the end. And now here they were faced by Hawk. She could hold her own against him, btu not with a hurt leg. What woudl they do if he attacked? And he was the one who'd hurt her in the first place.

[SkySong278]

((whee Christmas colors ; it's fine ...i don't mind reading big blocks of text ))

 

Shadow ran after Hawk, not knowing where he was going but possibly wanting to help him with whatever he was planning on doing. When she got to the place where he was, she was shocked to see him helping Mint and Wolfkit get out of the river that had flooded with all of the rain. The shock then cleared and she went over to where they were, laying beside Hawk to help keep him warm and barely acknowledging the other two. She could tell that he was exhausted and she wanted to be near him in case he needed her. She rested her head on his neck while looking over at Mint. He seemed to be surprised and confused that Hawk had saved him and it also appeared that Hawk was also feeling the same way about his actions. It doesn't matter, she thought to herself as she stayed where she was. Just as long as Hawk's okay, I'm happy.

Edited April 5, 2011 by Dragonpelt

[Stunningfire]

[Lol I guess. The "red" is supposed to be brown though x3 Lolz]

 

"Honestly, I don't know," Hawk replied to Wolfkit's question. There was a slight hint of a growl in his voice. He wasn't angry though - just embarrassed. Why did he have to help his enemies? What was this!? A moment later Shadow came and lay beside him, resting her head on his neck. Hawk calmed down a bit as his bristling fur laid flat again.

 

Hawk licked Shadow's ear and twined his tail with hers. Gosh, she was so . . . warm and comfortable. Feeling better, the tabby turned to Mint and Wolfkit again. There was another she-cat emerging behind them - Tamashi, he remembered. She looked wary, her ears pricked and twitching every so often like she was listening to some cat speaking beside her.

 

[That's Joshu, if you're wondering]

 

"I-I think Hawk is telling the truth," Mint murmured to Wolfkit. He pressed close to her for comfort as he continued. "Anyway, if he attacks, I'll protect you, don't worry." He gazed intently into Wolfkit's eyes. "I won't let any cat hurt you, not again. And Hawk does have some things he's attached to . . . " Mint's gaze drifted over to Shadow, and Hawk visibly stiffened.

 

"Okay, okay." Hawk blinked. "I'll leave now."

 

"Not so fast," Mint meowed. His tone was even, eyes unreadable.

[SkySong278]

((ah okay ))

 

Shadow smiled and licked him back on the cheek. "I love you so much," she said softly in his ear before hearing all that Mint said to Wolfkit. Her eyes narrowed and she let out a small hiss as she saw the unspoken threat in the other rogue's eyes. She didn't attack him, though, but she wanted to. She was about to get up when she heard what Hawk said in reply to what Mint said but didn't move when she heard what Mint said since she was curious and wanted to know what he was going to say.

[LightningRip]

Wolfkit glared at Hawk. Her gaze flickered to Shadow when Mint made a comment to her. "Really? I didn't realize he had ANY emotion left!" The last part came out as a hiss. Her tail twitched restlessly. What was Mint up to? Why should they trust Hawk? Wolfkit tensed as another cat trotted out of the trees and said something in Hawk's ear before sitting down and casually licking a paw. The new tom stared back at her with sharp eyes. Wolfkit narrowed her eyes at him before sitting down. She winced as her leg touched the ground. She started licking the blood off of it, but paused to glare at Hawk.

 

Trick watched the she-cat beside Mint. He still wondered who she was - she'd appeared out of nowhere, but hey it'd worked for them during the battle. "Hawk, what's your plan?" He asked quietly.

 

Wolfkit stood up and winced again. She stepped closer to Mint and pressed her fur against his. Shadow... Wolfkit tensed as she narrowed her eyes at Hawk. Wasn't Shadow Hawk's mate - that cat beside him? She'd been at the battle. But why was she thinking about HER? The thought came again, and Wolfkit realized it seemed to be radiating off of Hawk. She glanced around at the others. They didn't seem to notice anything different. She looked back at Hawk. A sense of protectiveness towards the one named Shadow washed over her as she watched him, but also another.. Honesty? No way. Not Hawk. But Wolfkit found herself believing that he really WAS telling the truth in what he said about saving them. "He's.. telling the truth." Wolfkit's gaze shifted and she looked at Mint. "But.. what are you planning?"

 

((aaaaand step 1 in peanut and I's evil plan unfolds... mwahahahaha :3))

[Chicogal]

Lightnose nodded, brushing off the kit's thanks. "It's no problem. It's our duty as Clan cats to take care of helpless kits. It's in the warrior code - " the medicine cat stopped herself before she started to confuse Shine. "Well, you'll learn all about that when you become an apprentice. Don't worry, your mentor will teach you everything." Lightnose paused to let Shine speak. In reply to the she-kit's question about meeting Jaystar, the medicine cat smiled kindly.

 

"Why, anytime you're ready," Lightnose replied. "Jaystar is out on patrol right now, though - he'd be glad to see you when he comes back, which should be soon." She paused as Shine declared that she wanted to be an apprentice as soon as possible. "How old are you?" Lightnose asked, tilting her head slightly. "Are you six moons yet? All the kits in the Clan become apprentices when they reach six moons."

((Sorry it's been so long! ))

 

Shine nodded along with everything. Her stomach rumbled as Lightnose asked her age. 'I'm six and a half moons,'sh announced, proudly. 'So I can become an apprentice now, if Jaystar say yes.' She glanced at the pile of fish and other prey on the pile.'Could I m-maybe..?' She hesitated. Was she being rude, just asking? Hearing her stomach rumble again made up hr mind. 'Can I have something to eat and drink, please?' she mewed. 'I can't remember when I last ate something.

 

((Sorry it's so short ))

[LightningRip]

Leopardpelt led her kits out of the nursery. They'd been pestering her endlessly to come outside, and finally she'd relented. Trotting over to Lightnose, she flicked her kit on the ear as it pounced on a leaf. "They've been restless in the nursery and I finally let them come outside." She smiled until she noticed a skinny kit at Lightnose's feet. "My goodness, you poor thing!" She licked the kit's ear. Rogue scent. "She looks starving... I was going to eat this, but you certainly need it more than I." She nudged a fish towards the kit.

 

Starkit skidded to a stop beside Shine. He had been listening to Lightnose and the new kit talk since thye had come to camp. "Hi, I'm Starkit! I'm 6 moons too!"

Edited April 6, 2011 by LightningRip

[Chicogal]

((I don't really want to make any arrangements... ))

 

Taken aback by the kit that suddenly bounced in front of hr, Shine flattened her ars. She retreated inbetween Lightnose's front lgs, and trembled a little. Was the kit dangerous? She peeked out, and looked at him. 'I-I'm Shine,' she mumbled, looking don. Her coat as filthy and muddy. It was a disgrace. She shuffled akwardly. That fish looked tasty. She shuffled forward, and took a nervous bite, looking at everyone as if they were about to attack her.

 

((Lady, I'm still waiting for a response from the kit, what's his name? Bottom of two pages ago is my post ))

[sweepea825]

((Time to kill off Pumpkin if you didn't see the OOC thread post at the top of 369))

 

They had been gone for a while now, many days, even moons. She was weak. The rocks she had fallen on were sharp, and even then, she could feel her life slipping away. She knew the end was soon. Still, she had done something that she felt was heroic. She had stood up... no she hadn't stood up to Hawk and the others. She had realized that fighting Mint and his buddies wasn't right, no matter how "goodie-two shoes" they might have been. This was stupid, she realized. Why were they fighting Mint? How were they so different from her and the others? They weren't, she concluded. They had waged a pointless war, and were going at each other for no reason. And here, there was nothing she could do. She was dying. But there was a niggling thought in the back of her mind. What were Hawk and the others doing to Mint right then? She pushed the thought away; she could do nothing. Was it better to die here, alone, or at Hawk's claws for being a sissy and backing away from the battle? Let them kill Mint. They'll be punished for their actions, and I won't. I am not one of them. I am my own cat, I will make my own destiny. I am not responsible for what they do. I backed out of that battle because it was wrong. The end had come. The darkness engulfed her, and her body went limp.

 

She saw the moon, and the stars. She saw the days flash by as seconds. Every event that had ever happened to her, she saw. She saw the world through the eyes of her newborn self. She saw the glories of the world as she ran through the autumn days of her kithood. She saw the first frost, and her family sleeping as she ran off into the winter night. That was the last time she saw her family. She saw Hawk, and Shadow, and Trick, and saw the evil in their eyes. She saw them accepting her into the group. She saw them planning to attack Mint and Co. She saw the battle, and the fear in their eyes. She saw the young she-cat that had hid in the bush. She saw the hollow log she'd stayed in for days, and smelled Hawk coming. She saw the inside of the bush, and saw the water approaching her. She heard them coming after her, and felt herself being moved off the rocks. She heard them talking about her, and Trick saying his last goodbyes. She remembered her final realizations.

 

So this is the end. After death. Your life flashes before your eyes, and then, it's over. You see the world from above, waiting for that call down to earth. And then, you are reborn.

Edited April 5, 2011 by sweepea825

[Sinder]

Cloudtail glanced at her and felt a wave of warmth wash over him at the feeling of her muzzle in his fur. He pressed his nose into her fur and let her scent race through him and calm his jumpy nerves. "Alright, let's go hunting." He wrapped his tail around her neck and it tickled the bottom of her chin while walking away towards the thin layout of trees and brush. Being out on his own for a few moons had given him new outlooks on how to hunt and how to see things, ways he'd never thought he could learn outside of what his mentor, Ashnose, had taught him. StarClan had not abandoned him though, he knew that. With a flick of his tail he got low to the ground and wiggled himself through the lowcut bushes around him, the moist ground felt good on his burnt paws. I'm so glad to be home, he thought to himself looking over at Rowanpelt. At that moment he thanked StarClan again. Smiling to himself he looked ahead again and drank in the scents around him: Mouse, fish, birds, lizard, snake. Cloudtail's whiskers curled, "Ugh..." He hated snakes. At least that scent was stale. After a moment he grew silent and let the sound of the nature around him take over, then the sound of russling caught his attention. Purring to himself he saw a small shrew appear not far from him, panting it's little heart out. From Thunderclan no doubt. His hunches wiggled and he crept closer to the tired animal, before it could make a sound he pounced with unsheathed claws and bit down on it's neck. He picked the tiny meal up and held his head high with pride, turning it only slightly to look back at his mate, smiling.

[SkySong278]

Rowanpelt nodded and then giggled as his tail tickled the bottom of her chin before he walked away. She followed after him and watched him catch a shrew before smiling back at him and going off to catch her own prey. She scented a squirrel up ahead before seeing it and crouching low to the ground so that it wouldn't detect her. She then crept up both silently and slowly on it before pouncing on it and killing it with a bite to its neck. Once it had gone limp, she buried it underneath a nearby bush and then went off to try to find something else.

[Laurarockstar]

Arctickit ran beside Wolfkit. Her ears where laid back, but she saw Mint wanted something with Hawk. He had saved their lives, after all. Why? The question rang in her head. She sat behind Wolfkit, ready to pounce if anything went wrong. She was strong now, not strong enough to take on Hawk. But definitely stronger than Wolfkit and Mint in their situation now.

 

(arctickit jumps in (quietly))